Why Schools need Agriculture tours in the new curriculum

For decades, the Ugandan education system focused on theory. Students could define “photosynthesis” or draw a labeled diagram of a fish, but they had never touched a real irrigation pipe or managed a living ecosystem.

With the rollout of the New Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) by the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), everything has changed. The focus has shifted from knowing to doing. The new curriculum demands that learners acquire practical, vocational skills and understand the “World of Work.”

As a Headteacher or Director of Studies, you are now faced with a challenge: How do you provide high-quality practical experiences without building expensive infrastructure on your school compound?

The answer lies in Agro-Tourism. A study tour to Dynagric Eco Tours in Bushenyi is not just a field trip; it is a compliant, hands-on lesson plan that covers Agriculture, Biology, Geography, and Entrepreneurship.

1. Bringing the “Project” Method to Life The new curriculum emphasizes “Projects.” Students are required to identify problems and design solutions. At Dynagric, we don’t just show students a pond; we show them a system.

• Biology & Agriculture: Students see the Nitrogen Cycle in action. They watch how waste from our fish tanks is broken down and used to fertilize the banana plantations.
• The Lesson: This helps students conceptualize their own “backyard projects,” a key requirement for their continuous assessment.

2. Climate Change is No Longer Just Theory In Geography and Science, learners are expected to understand climate change and mitigation strategies. Reading about it in a textbook is dry. Seeing it in practice is inspiring. We demonstrate Climate-Smart Agriculture through:

• Precision Irrigation: How to grow crops during the dry season using minimal water.

• Azora (Azolla) Farming: Utilizing aquatic weeds to feed livestock, reducing reliance on factory-made feeds. Visiting learners can see firsthand how technology adapts to weather patterns, covering key competence areas in the Geography syllabus.

3. Changing the Mindset: Agriculture as a Business One of the biggest hurdles in Uganda is that youth view agriculture as a punishment or a sign of poverty. The Entrepreneurship curriculum aims to change this. Dynagric is a Model Farm. We show students the money behind the mud.

• We explain the Value Chain: From buying fingerlings to processing and marketing to hotels.
• We demonstrate High-Value Farming on Small Land: Showing students that they don’t need 50 acres to be rich; they can make money on a 50x100ft plot using modern techniques like hydroponics and automated tanks.

4. Cost-Effective Learning for Schools Building a modern aquaculture unit, a piggery, and a greenhouse at your school costs millions of shillings in construction and maintenance. By partnering with Dynagric, your school gains access to millions of shillings worth of infrastructure for the price of a tour ticket. We become your external laboratory.

Conclusion: A Partner in Education The New Curriculum is an opportunity to produce job-creators rather than job-seekers. But schools cannot do it alone. You need partners who are living the reality of modern agribusiness.

Bring your students to Dynagric Eco Tours. Let them touch the soil, feed the fish, and see the future of Ugandan agriculture. Don’t just teach them about farming—show them how to succeed in it.